Common Sense Media Review
By Liz Panarelli
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Free practice tool is good but has incomplete word list.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
IntelliVocab for SAT
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
From the home screen teens can choose to answer practice questions, review the word list, view a progress report, take a 30-question test, or adjust the app's settings. The app includes over 200 words with definition, synonyms, antonyms, and example sentences for each. Some of the words (not all) have audio pronunciations. As teens answer the multiple-choice questions, the app adjusts the difficulty ranking of words and records data on performance. Teens can review a report on their progress that includes helpful learning data.
Is It Any Good?
INTELLIVOCAB FOR SAT provides a promising and useful way of learning the definitions of words, and the tools for tracking progress are helpful. That said, the occasional glitches and typos and the bizarre distribution of words (or lack thereof) is disappointing. Without a tutorial to explain the app's design, users might be confused to see seemingly easy words categorized as difficulty level 10 out of 10. It takes a while to figure out that until the user answers questions with a word, it remains a 10. Because of this, the settings options for adjusting the difficulty aren't helpful at first.
In addition, some of the words in the app don't seem like SAT-level words, for example, "writing" is on the list. On the whole, the price is right, so go ahead and add this to your test prep toolbox, but don't rely on it to be comprehensive.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
In the lead-up to the big test, post an SAT word on the fridge each day. Encourage your teens to use the word in conversation and help them to use it correctly. (You might learn something, too!)
Encourage your teen to read as widely as possible. Reading on a daily basis -- especially more complex texts -- helps expand vocabulary.
App Details
- Devices : iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android
- Subjects : Language & Reading : vocabulary
- Skills : Self-Direction : academic development , self-assessment , work to achieve goals
- Pricing structure : Free
- Release date : April 26, 2012
- Genre : Education
- Publisher : Faqden Labs
- Version : 2.0
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 4.0 or later
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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